Introduction It's nice to see that you are continuing to broaden your knowledge about astronomy! We have been learning about Galileo Galilei, a great astronomer that lived in the very turbulant times of the Renassiance. At this time, the Roman Catholic Church had been in great power, though the Protestant movement had begun to try to overthrow it. the Church had begun to condemn people for heresy, and did not except new ideas that tried to "defy" the church's ideas about the universe. Galileo was a great scientist who, with using telescopes made great observations about the universe. He discovered that the Earth was not the center of the Universe, has Aristotle and the church had believed, and many other things! Though his ideas were great, and true, the Church could not stand that Mister Galilei would go against the church, even being a devout catholic. so, it's pretty safe to say, Galileo was a pretty big deal!
Moon Observations
A picture of the moon, with a lot of emphasis on its many craters and imperfections
Galileo, with a telescope discovered that the moon in fact was not a perfect sphere, as the Church and Aristotle had said. In fact, it has mountains, valleys and craters on its surface.
Jupiter and its Moons
An animation that shows Jupiter's moons orbiting it, in a non-coincedental pattern
Galileo also discovered that Jupiter also had moons, and the Earth was not the only planet that has objects orbiting it! Many did not believe it, because this would prove that Earth did not revolve around the sun-that other planets had its own objects orbiting it. Galileo quite cleverly named the fisrt four moons of Jupiter after the sons of the Great Duke Cosimo II, in order to gain praise and respect from someone of much higher power. HE believed that this would give him more freedom to make more discoveries by sucking-up to his boss.
Saturn's Rings
Saturn's Rings
Galileo used his telescope to observe the rings of debris and matter around Saturn. Though it was from afar, it was clear that other things also orbited other planets too. This also contributed to Galileo's conviction for heresy in Rome by Pope Urban IV.
Sunspots on the Sun Using a telescope, Galileo notices that there were dark spots of the sun's surface. Once again, disproving Aristotle's statement that the sun is perfect, and that it is a perfect sphere. This lessened people's hope for heaven, and made them doubt religion. Of course, this enfuriated the Pope and the rest of the Roman Catholic Church.
It's nice to see that you are continuing to broaden your knowledge about astronomy! We have been learning about Galileo Galilei, a great astronomer that lived in the very turbulant times of the Renassiance. At this time, the Roman Catholic Church had been in great power, though the Protestant movement had begun to try to overthrow it. the Church had begun to condemn people for heresy, and did not except new ideas that tried to "defy" the church's ideas about the universe. Galileo was a great scientist who, with using telescopes made great observations about the universe. He discovered that the Earth was not the center of the Universe, has Aristotle and the church had believed, and many other things! Though his ideas were great, and true, the Church could not stand that Mister Galilei would go against the church, even being a devout catholic. so, it's pretty safe to say, Galileo was a pretty big deal!
Moon Observations
Galileo, with a telescope discovered that the moon in fact was not a perfect sphere, as the Church and Aristotle had said. In fact, it has mountains, valleys and craters on its surface.
Jupiter and its Moons
Galileo also discovered that Jupiter also had moons, and the Earth was not the only planet that has objects orbiting it! Many did not believe it, because this would prove that Earth did not revolve around the sun-that other planets had its own objects orbiting it. Galileo quite cleverly named the fisrt four moons of Jupiter after the sons of the Great Duke Cosimo II, in order to gain praise and respect from someone of much higher power. HE believed that this would give him more freedom to make more discoveries by sucking-up to his boss.
Saturn's Rings
Galileo used his telescope to observe the rings of debris and matter around Saturn. Though it was from afar, it was clear that other things also orbited other planets too. This also contributed to Galileo's conviction for heresy in Rome by Pope Urban IV.
Sunspots on the Sun
Using a telescope, Galileo notices that there were dark spots of the sun's surface. Once again, disproving Aristotle's statement that the sun is perfect, and that it is a perfect sphere. This lessened people's hope for heaven, and made them doubt religion. Of course, this enfuriated the Pope and the rest of the Roman Catholic Church.